Wine pairing dinners have long been popular across the country, allowing diners to learn the subtleties of different varietals and how they pair well with different foods, while still providing a fun evening with a friend or spouse.

Beer pairing dinners are a similar phenomenon that grew from the recent interest in craft beer. Southern California has become a hot bed of craft breweries thanks in part to laws and regulations in the Golden State that allow them to flourish, and San Diego County has evolved into the premier destination for craft beer lovers.

Last month, The Beer Hunter in Menifee launched its inaugural beer pairing dinner in conjunction with Samuel Adams, matching up three popular Samuel Adams beers with an exclusive three-course meal prepared by the chefs at The Beer Hunter.

At $19.99 per person, diners got to enjoy three Samuel Adams beers, an appetizer, a 10oz top sirloin steak dinner, and a dessert, along with butter and rolls.

A sold-out event of 25 guests listened to George Paulicivic, District Manager for Samuel Adams, explain the nuances of each beer and why they work so well for the dishes they were paired with.

"Our classic Boston Lager has just enough of the malt flavor to compliment the natural flavors of beef, while having a hoppy, light bitter finish that cleanses the palate and prepares you for the next bite."

South of the Border Sundae paired with Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat

"This decadent dessert from Beer Hunter goes really well with our Cherry Wheat. The Cherry Wheat has a light cherry flavor that adds a nice fruity overtone to the vanilla ice cream and compliments the honey topping and the cinnamon sprinkling on the fried tortilla strips."

Up Next: The Beer Hunter has a second beer pairing dinner scheduled for Monday, March 7, 2011, 6:30pm to 8:30pm, this time with Stone Brewing, pairing their Levitation Ale with a Biscuit Salad, Pale Ale with a Mediterranean Chicken, and Smoked Porter with Mocha Brownies.